Baseball glove



C. KOBOS BASEBALL GLOVE July 10, 1962 Filed June 9, 1961 $342,923 Patented July 10, 1962 Goods Mfg. (30., Inc, River Grove, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 9, 1961, Ser. No. 116,146

2 Claims. (Cl. 2-19) This invention relates to baseball gloves and mitts, and more particularly to such gloves or mitt having a false or dummy finger portion made integrally with the palm portion of the glove and located between the thumb and first finger stalls.

Although a baseball glove is illustrated and described as an exemplary embodiment of the invention, it may be understood that the invention is adapted, as well, to use in baseball mitts.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a relatively flexible and. durable web. structure for baseball gloves and mitts which incorporates tubular web elements on opposite sides of a false finger stall between the thumb and first finger stalls for protecting and shortening the span of lacing which adjoins the false finger stall to each of the thumb and first finger stalls.

Another object of the invention is to provide web .elements for use with baseball gloves or mitts having a false finger stall between the thumb and first finger stalls, which web elements are generally T-shaped and fill major portions of the spaces on opposite sides of the false finger stall.

My invention also has Within its purview the provision of a web structure for baseball gloves or mitts which incorporates the advantages of having a portion of the web structure integral with the palm portion of the glove and limits the span and exposure of lacing in the ball catching pocket to an extent that eliminates the possibilities of having a player get the fingers of the ungloved hand entangled in the lacing while retrieving a caught ball from the glove pocket for throwing in making a fast play.

As a further object, the invention comprehends the provision of a durable, wear-resistant and elfective manner of lacing together the elements of a web structure in a baseball glove or mitt.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a baseball glove embodying a preferred form of this invention and having portions cut away to indicate details of structure;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the baseball glove shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a portion of the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and wherein the section is taken substantially at the position indicated by a line 33 and accompanying arrows in FIG. 1.

In the exemplary embodiment of this invention which is shown in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes, a baseball glove is composed generallyof a front or palm piece 12, a back 13 and a palm liner 14 which are secured together and are cut to atford a protective covering for a baseball players hand which includes a palm portion 15, 'a thumb stall 16, finger stalls 17, 18, 19 and 20, and a false finger stall 22. The parts of the structure of the glove are also such that it affords a ball catching pocket 'between the thumb and finger stalls and for which the false finger stall 22 serves as a back stop element. Padding disposed between the palm piece 12 and the palm liner 14, and some of which is held in place and conformed by lacing, such as 23, 24 and 25, aids in giving desirable conformation to the ball catching pocket. It may also be noted, for purposes of understanding, that the little finger stall 20 and the false finger stall 22 may include stiffening and contouring material between the palm piece and the palm liner. The palm liner and the palm piece of the glove are held together, in the disclosed structure, by a piece of lace 26 which also extends upwardly along the wrist portion of the glove, as at 27, for helping to establish desirable contour to the glove at the heel region thereof. At the back of the glove, a wrist strap 28 extends across the glove fi'om the thumb stall 16 to the opposite side of the glove back, and is adjustably anchored by a thong 29.

In the disclosed glove structure, the thumb stall 16 and the first finger stall 17 are quite widely spaced apart, so that the integrally constructed false finger stall 22 intervenes therebetween with an open space 30 between the thumb stall and the false finger stall and an open space 32 between the false finger stall and the first finger stall. For bridging the spaces 30 and 32 on opposite sides of the false finger stall 22, While maintaining flexibility in the pocket portion of the glove structure for ball gripping purposes, as well as for providing a structure from which the ball is readily released after being caught and without the possibility of a player getting the fingers of his throwing hand caught in the webbing or laced structure of the pocket so as to effect delay in making a fast play, web elements 33 and 34 are utilized, which web elements extend along and bridge major portions of the spaces.

In the disclosed structure, the Web elements 33 and 34 are each substantially T-shaped and have stern portions 35 and 36 respectively with cross parts 37 and 38 secured to ends of the stem portions 35 and 36 respectively. The stem portions 35 and 36 are longitudinally tubular or tubular in transverse section, while the cross parts 37 and 38 are also tubular in section and from end to end. These Web elements are made of flexible leather with side marginal portions of the leather of the stem portion folded back and secured by seams 39 and 40 which extend longitudinally of the stem portion to establish the tubular structure of the stem portion along its opposite side regions. Also, the material of the cross parts 37 and 38 is folded back and se'cured by seams 42 to establish the longitudinal tubular structure thereof.

The outer end regions of the finger stalls 17, 18, 19 and 20 are secured together by a thong 43 which is anchored at the outer surface of the little finger stall 20 by a knot 44, from which the thong extends through the little finger stall 20 and is laced through openings in the finger tip regions of the palm piece 12 of the glove and anchored at the back of the first finger stall 17 by a knot 45. A second thong 46 is utilized to connect the outer end regions of the first finger stall 17, the false finger stall 22 and the thumb stall 16 together. This thong is anchored at the back of the first finger stall 17 by a knot 47 from which it extends through the first finger stall 17, through the tubular cross part 38 of the Web element 34, and then twice through the end region of the false finger stall 22, from front to back and from back to front. From the false finger stall 22, the thong 46 extends through the tubular cross part 37 of the Web element 33 and then through the end region of the thumb stall 16 from front to back, where it is anchored by a knot 48. The cross parts 37 and 38 of the Web elements have lengths such that they extend practically the full distance between the end regions of the thumb stall, false finger stall and first finger stall.

-For further securing the web element 33 in place between the thumb stall 16 and the false finger stall 22, a thong 49 is threaded through the tubular cross part 37 of the web element 33 to a position such that the midregion of that thong is covered by the tubular cross part of the web element, and opposed end parts of the thong are disposed for lacing between the opposite sides of the 3 I. web element and the adjacent thumb and false finger stalls. As illustrated, one end portion 50 of the thong 49 extends back and forth through both the front and back marginal portions of the thumb stall 16 at positions v spaced longitudinally'of the stall, While portions of the thong intermediate those which pass through the front and back portions of the margin of the thumb stall extend to and through tubular side portions of the Web element at positions spaced longitudinally thereof. Likewise, another end portion 52 of the thong 49 extends back and forth through the front and back marginal portions of the false finger stall 22 at positions spaced longitudinally thereof, while portions of the thong intermediate those which extend through the false finger stall 22 extend to and through longitudinally spaced tubular side portions of the other side of the stern portion of the web element 33. The ends of the thong 49 extend through the front and back portions of the glove at the crotch between the thumb stall and false finger stall and are secured together by a knot 53 at the back of the glove.

Similarly, a thong 54 extends through the tubular cross part 38' of the web element 34, so that its mid-region is disposed within the tubular cross part of the web element and opposite end portions of the thong are adapted to use for securing the stem portion of the web element 34 in position between the false finger stall 22 and the first finger stall 17. An end portion 55 of the thong 54 extends backand forth through the front and back parts of the false finger stall 22 along the margin thereof and at longitudinally spaced positions. Between the position at which the end portion 55 extends through the side mar gins of the false finger stall 22, the thong extends to and through longitudinally spaced side portions of the stem portion of the web 34 at positions spaced therealong. Also, an end portion 56 of the thong 54extends from front to back through marginal portions of the first finger stall 17 at positions spaced longitudinally of that finger stall, while portions of the thong intermediate those at which it extends through the first finger stall extend to and through the other tubular side portions of the stem portion of the web 34. The ends of the portions 55 and 56 of the thong 54 extend from front to back through the glove at the crotch between the false finger stall and the first finger stall and are tied together for anchorage by a knot 57 at the back of the glove.

It is to be observed that the thongs 46, 49 and 54 exand the false finger stall only at the end regions of those 7 stalls and where they are quite completely enclosed within the tubular cross parts of the web elements 33 and 34. The stem portions of the web elements are retained in Being laced in the manner prescribed, the thongs 49 I and 54, as Well as the thong 46, are largely protected from wear or scuffing either from friction with the ball or from friction with the ground during play; It is also to be noted that with the illustrated type of lacing, and with the illustrated Web structures, there are no spaces in which a player is apt to catch his finger'or fingers in exposed portions of lacing while removing a caught ball from the glove.

From the foregoing description and by reference to the accompanying drawings, it may be readily understood that the disclosed glove structure not only provides the advantages which are attainable through providing a large and accessible pocket area which can be contoured to the desires of the user by shaping of a stiffening element within the structure of a false finger stall, but which also affords protection and wear resistance for lacing in the web and pocket parts of the glove as well as flexibility and adjustability to suit the users desires.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed 1. A baseball glove or mitt comprising palm and back portions secured together and provided with finger and thumb stalls in spaced relationship to one another, means on said palm and back portions and secured together to provide a false finger stall extending outwardly from the palm portion between said thumb and finger stalls and spaced therefrom, web elements of generally T-shape interposed between opposite sides of said false finger stall and the adjacent sides of the thumb and finger stalls, said generally T-shaped web elements each having a cross part 'tend laterally between the thumb and first finger stalls of tubular section at one end thereof and a stem portion of tubular section secured at one end to the cross part and extending therefrom, lace means adjoining opposite sides of said stern portions of the web elements to the thumb and finger stalls and to opposite side portions of said false finger stall, said lace means extending through marginal regions of the palm and back portions of the thumb and finger stalls and the false finger stall at positions spaced longitudinally thereof, as well as into and along the tubular stern portions of the web elements at positions spaced longitudinally thereof, said lace means extending across the spaces between the false finger stall and the thumb and finger stalls only through the tubular cross parts of the web elements and said stern portions of the web elements bridging major portions of the spaces between said false finger stall and the thumb and adjacent finger stalls so that exposed portions of the lace means between the webs and the adjacent stalls are short.

2. In combination with a baseball glove or mitt having a palm portion with thumb and finger stalls extending outwardly therefrom in spaced relationship to one another and a false finger stall extending outwardly from the palm portion between the thumb and finger stalls and in spaced relationship thereto, a plurality of flexible Web elements for filling major portions of the spaces between the false finger stall and the thumb and finger stalls, .each of said Web elements including a. longitudinally hollow stem portion having a tubular cross part secured to one end thereof, lace means extending longitudinally of alternately displaced portions of adjacent regions of said web elements and said stalls and having only short exposed segments adjoining opposite sides of the stem portions of the web elements to adjacent marginal regions of the false finger stall and the thumb and finger stalls, andv additional lace means connecting the end regions of the false finger stall and the thumb and finger stalls and extending through the tubular cross parts of the web elements between said stalls.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

